Pope Francis ‘Transcendent Voice for Peace, Human Dignity, Social Justice’, Says Secretary-General on Passing of Pontiff

The following statement by UN Secretary-General António Guterres was issued today:

I join the world in mourning the passing of His Holiness Pope Francis, a messenger of hope, humility and humanity.

Pope Francis was a transcendent voice for peace, human dignity and social justice. He leaves behind a legacy of faith, service and compassion for all - especially those left on the margins of life or trapped by the horrors of conflict.

Pope Francis was a man of faith for all faiths - working with people of all beliefs and backgrounds to light a path forward.

Through the years, the United Nations was greatly inspired by his commitment to the goals and ideals of our Organization - a message I conveyed in my meetings with him as Secretary-General.

In his historic 2015 visit to United Nations Headquarters, he spoke of the Organization's ideal of a "united human family".

Pope Francis also understood that protecting our common home is, at heart, a deeply moral mission and responsibility that belongs to every person. His Papal Encyclical - Laudato Si - was a major contribution to the global mobilization that resulted in the landmark Paris Agreement on climate change.

Pope Francis once said: "The future of humankind isn't exclusively in the hands of politicians, of great leaders, of big companies… [it] is, most of all, in the hands of those people who recognize the other as a 'you' and themselves as part of an 'us'."

Our divided and discordant world will be a much better place if we follow his example of unity and mutual understanding in our own actions.

I offer my deepest condolences to Catholics and all those around the world inspired by the extraordinary life and example of Pope Francis.